Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, held a press conference to update Ghanaians on the arrest and subsequent detention of Kwabena Adu-Boahene, the former Director-General of the National Signals Bureau (NSB).

The press conference held on March 24, 2025 aimed to clarify key details regarding Adu-Boahene's arrest, which resulted from a joint operation between the Attorney General’s office and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

His arrest is linked to an ongoing investigation into the procurement of cyber intelligence equipment by the National Signals Bureau, formerly known as the Bureau of National Communication (BNC), during his tenure.

The Attorney General made several alarming revelations during the briefing. Below are five key highlights:

Adu-Boahene’s embezzlement of GH¢39 million

According to the Attorney General, Kwabena Adu-Boahene allegedly embezzled up to GH¢39 million from the agency in collaboration with his wife.

This occurred after Adu-Boahene, acting as Director of the agency, signed a contract on behalf of the government and the National Security Council with an Israeli company, ISC Holdings Ltd., for the purchase of cyber defense system software at a cost of $7,000,000.

“In essence, the difference between (1) GH¢49,000,000, being the money Mr. Adu-Boahene transferred from the bank account of the National BNC to his private BNC, and (2) GH¢9,537,520, being the money he actually paid to ISC Holdings for the software, ended up with him and his wife. That is to say, a sum of Thirty-Nine Million, Four Hundred and Sixty-Two Thousand, Four Hundred and Eighty Ghana Cedis (GH¢39,462,480) is with Adu-Boahene and Angela Adjei-Boateng for no lawful reason or work done,” Ayine stated.

Creation of a private company with the same name as a state institution

The Attorney General further revealed that Adu-Boahene, who was a co-signatory to the Bureau of National Communication’s (BNC) director’s account at Fidelity Bank, secretly established a private company named BNC Communication Bureau Limited, which he used to channel payments into his personal accounts.

“As the Director of the BNC, Adu-Boahene was a co-signatory to the BNC’s Directors’ Account at Fidelity Bank. While serving as Director of BNC, however, Adu-Boahene and his wife, Angela Adjei-Boateng, incorporated, on October 23, 2018, a private company which they named ‘BNC Communication Bureau Limited.’ It is important to note the similarity between the names here—BNC.”

Transfers from state accounts to private companies

Another shocking revelation made by the Attorney General was that Adu-Boahene and his wife established approximately 10 companies, where they served as shareholders and directors. He stated that funds, suspected to be proceeds of crime, were transferred under suspicious circumstances through the bank accounts of these companies.

“The investigation has established that the ultimate beneficial owner of BNC Communication Bureau Limited is another company known as Advantage Solutions Limited. Ten other companies are, through a very complex web of shareholding and directorship, connected to Adu-Boahene and his wife, Angela Adjei-Boateng.

"Investigations have also established that monies, mostly proceeds of crime, from Advantage Solutions Limited, BNC Communication Bureau Limited, and other similar sources have been transmitted under very suspicious circumstances through the bank accounts of these companies. The investigations have revealed so far that the suspect and his wife have registered companies which we are tracking,” he said.

Bribery attempt to cover up National Service Scheme (NSS) 'ghost names scandal

In connection with the National Service Scheme (NSS) ghost names and payroll fraud scandal, the Attorney General revealed that former executives of the NSS attempted to suppress the issue by making a financial transaction to an undisclosed Member of Parliament (MP).

He explained that the payment was made to the MP in an effort to "kill and bury" the story and prevent it from reaching the public.

“Indeed, we now have evidence of payments made into the accounts of top executives of the NSS by vendors and staff of the Scheme. We also have evidence that, in November 2024, the CEO and others paid a Ghanaian MP to kill the story in the media and defend them.”

Unauthorized payment for Skytrain project

The Attorney General also disclosed details of an unauthorized $2,000,000 payment for the Skytrain project, initiated by Prof. Ameyaw Ekumfi, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), and the agency’s CEO, Solomon Asamoah.

He revealed that the payment was made without the approval of the other board members. Additionally, the CEO, who is also a key suspect in the investigation, is currently in hiding in Senegal.

“In respect of Skytrain, we can confirm that the $2,000,000 was paid at the request of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), Prof. Ameyaw Ekumfi, and the CEO, Mr. Solomon Asamoah, who is currently hiding in Senegal. We tracked him first and noticed he was in South Africa since February 2, 2025.

“There was no board approval for the transaction, and the conditions precedent to disbursement had not been met. The other board members and our review of the minutes of the Board of Directors have confirmed this fact,” he concluded.



MAG/MA

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